With the improvement in understanding of Adult ADHD, we have today managed to also improve on our diagnostics of ADHD. This means that more are aware and can be helped.
While many will assume that only working female or working mothers need help with the poor concentration and attention deficits inherent to ADHD, non-working women or homemakers are vulnerable too! Whereas working adults may have the structure of their workplace, the routine of work and their superiors supervising them and keeping things in check, women and mothers at home have to keep their own schedules. Being a homemaker is a full time job requiring one to keep to schedules (picking children to and fro school and activities), deal with finances (marketing and paying bills) and multiple other work in between (cleaning, cooking, laundry, etc).And often without help!. In an individual with ADHD who has difficulties keeping a routine, tends to procrastinate or simply gets distracted easily, life as a homemaker can be chaos.
Even if one does not wish to seek treatment for ADHD, many a times, understanding what the underlying problem is and knowing one's weakness and limitations, help to put away the unnecessary sense of guilt and worthlessness, and decreases the possibility of other consequences of ADHD.
This article,on USA Today, explores why ADHD diagnosis is on the rise in America.
Showing posts with label Adult ADHD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Adult ADHD. Show all posts
Thursday, 25 January 2018
Tuesday, 13 May 2014
Friday, 22 March 2013
ADHD Increases Risk of Mental Illness in Adulthood
A 20 year long study conducted by Mayo Clinic published recently showed that not only did symptoms of ADHD persist into adulthood, children with ADHD were also much more likely to be diagnosed with other psychiatric illnesses as adults.
In this study, the researchers followed a cohort of 5718 children born between 1976 and 1982. Within the cohort, 367 were diagnosed with ADHD and 75% received treatment for ADHD as children. 29.3% of the children with ADHD were later found to still have the disorder in adulthood and within this group of children, 81% had at least one other psychiatric condition. The concomitant conditions they had included major depression, generalized anxiety, hypomanic episodes, substance abuse and antisocial personality disorder. Also 57% of all children with ADHD had another psychiatric disorder as adults compared to 35% in the control group. The study also showed that suicide rate amongst ADHD children was five times higher than those without the disorder.
These data are no doubt disturbing and brings to the table stronger evidence to what doctors and psychiatrists have long suspected and observed anecdotally about ADHD. The evidences indicate that ADHD is an illness with serious consequences, morbidity and mortality. Starting treatment young will help the children cope with the hyperactive, inattentive and impulsive symptoms, preventing the eventual pathways leading to other serious mental illnesses, personality disorders and suicide. Treatment into adulthood is often necessary and doctors must be vigilant in assessing and picking up co-morbid psychiatric illnesses.
ADHD is by far the most common neuro-developmental condition in children. It should not be trivialised and ignored as it progresses into long term difficulties for the individual. Seek help today!
In this study, the researchers followed a cohort of 5718 children born between 1976 and 1982. Within the cohort, 367 were diagnosed with ADHD and 75% received treatment for ADHD as children. 29.3% of the children with ADHD were later found to still have the disorder in adulthood and within this group of children, 81% had at least one other psychiatric condition. The concomitant conditions they had included major depression, generalized anxiety, hypomanic episodes, substance abuse and antisocial personality disorder. Also 57% of all children with ADHD had another psychiatric disorder as adults compared to 35% in the control group. The study also showed that suicide rate amongst ADHD children was five times higher than those without the disorder.
These data are no doubt disturbing and brings to the table stronger evidence to what doctors and psychiatrists have long suspected and observed anecdotally about ADHD. The evidences indicate that ADHD is an illness with serious consequences, morbidity and mortality. Starting treatment young will help the children cope with the hyperactive, inattentive and impulsive symptoms, preventing the eventual pathways leading to other serious mental illnesses, personality disorders and suicide. Treatment into adulthood is often necessary and doctors must be vigilant in assessing and picking up co-morbid psychiatric illnesses.
ADHD is by far the most common neuro-developmental condition in children. It should not be trivialised and ignored as it progresses into long term difficulties for the individual. Seek help today!
Saturday, 8 December 2012
Adult ADHD: Simply a Myth?
There has been many research done on adult ADHD which have shown that many adults continue to be affected with ADHD symptoms. Despite this, many still think of ADHD as an illness affecting only children. There is a lack of understanding about adult ADHD both in healthcare professionals as well as the public in general.
In this paper written by doctors from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore, it is estimated that 5.29% of people may have ADHD. Only 10% will recover fully such that the symptoms no longer affect their lives in any way. This means that in Singapore, 265,000 people have ADHD and about 240,000 people will have ADHD symptoms into adulthood!
Based on this report, about 140,000 Singaporeans suffer from asthma. This is about 100,000 less than ADHD. Yet, it is not uncommon to hear of adults getting treatment for asthma whilst you will almost never hear adults getting treated for ADHD. In fact, many adult with ADHD today may have never been diagnosed in their childhood as the illness was poorly understood in this part of the world when they were children.
This can be due to the fact that the symptoms of adult ADHD is somewhat covert and hidden. As the child grows older, the hyperactivity symptoms (ie fidgeting, running around, talking excessively) subsides. The adult can control their hyperactive symptoms much better. However, they continue to have inattentive symptoms like forgetfulness, poor time management and disorganisation. These symptoms can often be very disruptive. This is especially so students undergoing tertiary education where academic work can be fast paced and stressful. The ADHD mind may find itself unable to cope or manage in these times of stress where time allocation, organisation and prioritisation of work is critical.
Psycho-stimulant medications like methylphenidate is a very effective treatment for these symptoms. Other therapy such as behavioural modifications or cognitive behavioural therapy are helpful for the individuals suffering from adult ADHD.
In this paper written by doctors from the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Woodbridge Hospital, Singapore, it is estimated that 5.29% of people may have ADHD. Only 10% will recover fully such that the symptoms no longer affect their lives in any way. This means that in Singapore, 265,000 people have ADHD and about 240,000 people will have ADHD symptoms into adulthood!
Based on this report, about 140,000 Singaporeans suffer from asthma. This is about 100,000 less than ADHD. Yet, it is not uncommon to hear of adults getting treatment for asthma whilst you will almost never hear adults getting treated for ADHD. In fact, many adult with ADHD today may have never been diagnosed in their childhood as the illness was poorly understood in this part of the world when they were children.
This can be due to the fact that the symptoms of adult ADHD is somewhat covert and hidden. As the child grows older, the hyperactivity symptoms (ie fidgeting, running around, talking excessively) subsides. The adult can control their hyperactive symptoms much better. However, they continue to have inattentive symptoms like forgetfulness, poor time management and disorganisation. These symptoms can often be very disruptive. This is especially so students undergoing tertiary education where academic work can be fast paced and stressful. The ADHD mind may find itself unable to cope or manage in these times of stress where time allocation, organisation and prioritisation of work is critical.
Psycho-stimulant medications like methylphenidate is a very effective treatment for these symptoms. Other therapy such as behavioural modifications or cognitive behavioural therapy are helpful for the individuals suffering from adult ADHD.
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